Technically a songbird, the loggerhead shrike shares a few raptor-like qualities, including hunting vertebrate prey. Loggerhead shrikes impale prey on barbed wire or thorns in order to consume their quarry, coining the nickname ‘butcherbird’ or ‘thorn bird’. Our biologists are part of an international effort to study this unique species through color-banding, feather collection, and population monitoring.

Hellbender breathe primarily through their skin and are extremely sensitive to low oxygen and pollutants in the water. Their secretive, nocturnal habits make them challenging to monitor. Hellbender populations in neighboring states appear to be in decline, and more information is needed to determine their status in Kentucky.

Our biologists are collaborating with Purdue University in hopes of increasing hellbender populations through captive breeding.

Monarch butterflies face multiple threats including increased pesticide use, disease, habitat alteration, and the loss of milkweed plants on which their caterpillars need. By establishing native plant communities with good nectar sources and planting milkweed, we’re working to reverse this decline and expand habitat not only for monarch butterflies, but also other native bees and pollinators.

These small fish live above or below riffles over bedrock, cobble, and pebble. Populations have declined due to coal mining, logging, agriculture, gas/oil exploration, and land development. KDFWR successfully spawned young darters in captivity, and then tagged and released 1,823 into wild streams. Recent surveys indicate not only fish survival, but also evidence of reproduction.